The Miami Herald has independently confirmed that Phillip Merling is out for the season following an Achilles' injury suffered this week.

The report follows an earlier report by profootballtalk.com that Merling's offseason troubles -- that included an arrest for domestic violence on his pregnant girlfriend -- had grown with an Achilles' injury whose extent was not known.

I have been in contact with a source saying the Dolphins may turn their attention before training camp is over to Dallas defensive end Marcus Spears, a starter who has fallen somewhat out of favor with the Cowboys and whom Bill Parcells drafted in the first round in 2005.

Although Spears finished the season with a career-high 2.5 sacks in 2009, the Cowboys got a lower restricted free agent tender offer than either of his backups. Spears was available in trade just prior to the draft.

Well, there will be no hoping for him to turn his career around this season.

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Thu Jul 22, 2010 6:22 pm

MNDolfan

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Re: Phil Merling done for the year

Now it's imperative that we get Odrick signed and in camp on time.

Thu Jul 22, 2010 7:00 pm

eightyone81

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Joined: Sat Jun 05, 2010 5:27 pmPosts: 11

Re: Phil Merling done for the year

this has to be some type of front office conspiracy..and i also think that ferguson will be back out of retirement after his suspension time is up

Thu Jul 22, 2010 7:34 pm

The Hen

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Re: Phil Merling done for the year

What a dude.....

Quote:

During the Dolphins' offseason practices, Merling had received most of the first-team snaps at right defensive end, opposite starting left end Kendall Langford. Odrick had received first-team work in goal-line and short-yardage situations.

Merling was expected to compete with Odrick for the job, which was left open when the Dolphins moved Randy Starks to nose tackle in April.

Merling, 25, had 33 tackles and 2.5 sacks in 16 games last season, including two starts. As a rookie in 2008, he played in 16 games and had 26 tackles and a sack.

Besides Odrick and Langford, the other defensive ends under contract are Tony McDaniel and Ryan Baker (who both can play tackle or end), Lionel Dotson and Ikaika Alama-Francis. The nose tackles under contract are Starks, Paul Soliai and undrafted rookie Travis Ivey.

Merling is the second defensive lineman that the Dolphins have lost in recent days. Last week, Jason Ferguson unexpectedly retired, though he would have missed the season's first eight games regardless because of an NFL suspension for using an illegal substance.

According to a Dolphins source, the troubled defensive end is headed for season-ending surgery after suffering a recent injury to his Achilles tendon. Initially it was unclear if the injury was a strain or a tear, but as of this evening further tests have shown it is indeed a tear.

The injury, first reported Thursday afternoon by Pro Football Talk, took place during normal offseason workouts, the source said. That means Merling will still draw a salary of $600,000 for the 2010 season, which was to be his third in the league.

Looks like Alma-Francis just got himself a roster spot. Another WAC player on the team.

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Thu Jul 22, 2010 8:13 pm

dolphinjim

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Re: Phil Merling done for the year

Well, maybe we should have kept JT after all?

Thu Jul 22, 2010 8:14 pm

Iowafin

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Joined: Thu Jan 14, 2010 2:55 pmPosts: 5439

Re: Phil Merling done for the year

dolphinjim wrote:

Well, maybe we should have kept JT after all?

Yeah, considering he plays DE in the 3-4.

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Thu Jul 22, 2010 8:18 pm

moley

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Re: Phil Merling done for the year

heard a couple of writers saying there maybe a chance of us picking up marcus spearsfrom the cowboys, who has fallen down the pecking order at the boys ,and was on the trading block earlier in the year

not sure how i feel about getting spears ,again a player never lived up to his billing,but a solid playerdepends i guess what we had to give up for him

merling sure is not helping himself to stay with the dolphins ,his on the field play ,his lack of training camp performance,off field problems, and now a injury away from the field and training = for me a TAXI out!!??

Thu Jul 22, 2010 10:15 pm

hypocritex

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Joined: Wed Jan 13, 2010 3:42 pmPosts: 965

Re: Phil Merling done for the year

Ryan Baker. Unless we bring someone else in. It has to be Baker. Versatility. Everything I've read on the guy this offseason has him in the good graces of SIP.

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Thu Jul 22, 2010 10:21 pm

Phins Rock

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Joined: Tue Jan 12, 2010 11:28 amPosts: 7532Location: Massachusetts

Re: Phil Merling done for the year

hypocritex wrote:

Ryan Baker. Unless we bring someone else in. It has to be Baker. Versatility. Everything I've read on the guy this offseason has him in the good graces of SIP.

He clearly has the fire that Sparano likes too as he's gotten into multiple training camp fights thus far. When he got onto the field against Buffalo last season he was a beast.

Fri Jul 23, 2010 1:47 am

Big Dave

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Joined: Tue Jan 12, 2010 9:41 amPosts: 9748Location: Raleigh, NC

Re: Phil Merling done for the year

eightyone81 wrote:

this has to be some type of front office conspiracy

This all just makes the Odrick pick make more even more sense. Prior to the draft everyone thought we were set at DE, but since then we've moved Starks to the middle and now have lost Merling. Merling doesn't seem to fit into a Parcells type of player and probably would have been gone.

I actually like Tony McDaniel as well... he brought some fire to the DLine last year... very solid player.

Fri Jul 23, 2010 7:20 am

SkyHigh314

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Joined: Wed May 12, 2010 8:22 pmPosts: 899

Re: Phil Merling done for the year

Its funny, the way things keep unfolding, we are headed back to the 4-3....... Starks is more than capable of being a DT, maybe not neccessarily a NT... Soliai has the size to be a DT, but not enough effort to be a NT. Langford is a stud DE in the making. Odrick should fit either way. McDaniels can rotate in and out of DT and DE. Got a funny feeling we will be fielding 4 DL men this season....... which really jeopardizes our LB corps. Unless Dansby is ready to play 4-3 OLB & MLB, Crowder may not see much time, since he is nowhere near a 4-3OLB..... Pick Ogunleye back up from Chicago and we'll have a solid 4-3.....

who knows, with the Jets and Bills expected to pummel the run, it may work out having a 4-3 front 7 as opposed to a 3-4. Not saying that 4-3's are better against the run, but it'll be more beef lined up against them. Either way, the D is gonna be larger than last year, better? who knows

Fri Jul 23, 2010 11:09 am

Rock Sexton

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Re: Phil Merling done for the year

Spears. Get it done.

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Fri Jul 23, 2010 11:29 am

FrustratedFinFan

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Re: Phil Merling done for the year

Just fantastic. After losing Ferguson, this certainly doesn't help. Merling might as well pack his bags now.

I had hopes for big defensive improvements this year. Now, I see a bunch of question marks instead of answers to our woes. The D-line and safety are the big riddles....

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